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challenge, and in
a heroic and valiant combat he killed 'Amr ibn 'Abd
Wud.
The death of 'Amr and the lengthy ineffectiveness of
the siege especially the tactics deployed by the Prophet
made the Jews retire from the combat. The weather, too,
became severely cold and a violent wind started blowing
so that it shook the tents of the Quraysh army violently,
extinguished their fires and caused their horses and
camels to flee to the desert, and thus complete chaos
and disorder reigned over the whole army of the enemy.
Abu Sufyan who was furious with this state of affairs,
summoned the army commanders for consultation and said
to them: "0 men of Quraysh! I swear to your god
that you are in a land where one cannot live or stay
longer. Our horses and camels have run away. The Jews
of Banu Qurayzah who were our allies have abandoned
their pact and left us. Moreover, as you see we are
confronted with cold and bad weather, which has even
put out our fires and has left no tent standing. Therefore,
I think we had better return. I am ready to move back."
In the same dark night the large army of the Quraysh
and their allies departed for Mecca and their own tribes.(48)
Abu Sufyan was in such a hurry to flee that he forgot
to untie the foot-fetters of his camel and leapt on
its back to move
Thus the big battle of al-Khandaq (or al-Ahzab) ended
without any result for Abu Sufyan, and the big army
of the infidels despite their large number failed to
do anything against Islam, the religion of God.
Feeling of weakness
and proposal of peace
O
people! I have concluded a pact between the Quraysh
and the Muslims.
Abu Sufyan
The
weakness of the parties opposed to Islam, despite their
greater number greatly asserted the power, dignity and
glory of Islamic front, and the Muslims were now recognized
as a power
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